Kevin Smith is wishing he'd stayed silent.
After Bruce Willis' family revealed that he was diagnosed with aphasia and would be taking a step back from his career, the filmmaker felt the need to apologize for "petty" remarks he made after they worked together on 2010's Cop Out.
"Long before any of the Cop Out stuff, I was a big Bruce Willis fan - so this is really heartbreaking to read," Smith, 51, tweeted on March 30. "He loved to act and sing and the loss of that has to be devastating for him. I feel like an a--hole for my petty complaints from 2010. So sorry to BW and his family."
During a 2011 appearance on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast alongside Cop Out star Tracy Morgan, Smith complained about working with the A Good Day to Die Hard actor, saying that it was "f--king soul crushing" directing him.
"It was difficult," he said at the time, claiming Willis "wouldn't even sit for a f--king poster shoot."
Smith added, "Were it not for Tracy, I might have killed either myself or someone else in the making of f--king Cop Out."
On March 30, Willis' family—wife Emma Heming Willis, their kids Mabel Willis, 9, and Evelyn Willis, 7, ex Demi Moore and their children Rumer Willis, 33, Scout Willis, 30, Tallulah Willis, 28—released a joint statement on their respective Instagram accounts announcing that the actor would be stepping away from his career because the condition is impacting his cognitive abilities.
"This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support," the message read. "We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him."